Originally from Ipatinga, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, Bárbara Emerick Dias' industrial connection began early. Growing up near a steel facility and watching her father's work in the manufacturing sector helped spark her interest in engineering.
After earning a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Viçosa, Dias found an early mentor in a professor who also worked as an industry consultant. "It was the first time I had contact with a woman who combined that kind of technical knowledge with real industry experience," she recalls. "That's when I first thought: maybe one day this could be me."
Dias joined Tenaris in 2022 through the Global Trainee Program, the company's entry pathway for recent graduates. The decision meant relocating from Minas Gerais to Pindamonhangaba, in São Paulo State, where Tenaris operates one of its Brazilian manufacturing facilities.
Having grown up in a family that moved often for her father's work, changing cities was familiar. Living on her own for the first time was a different kind of challenge. "Resilience: I learned a lot of that," she says. That adaptability would define her early years at Tenaris.
The move also brought her professional goals within reach: the hands-on operations experience she had been looking for. "Tenaris happened at the exact right moment to bring all those aspirations together," she says.
An early assignment in the pipe coating area tested her resolve, working alongside a small team to prepare a batch of pipes for customer shipment. The experience connected technical knowledge directly with the daily routine of operations and expanded her ability to link day-to-day demands to decisions affecting overall performance.
An important influence early in Dias's career was Katarina Fernandes, a Process Technology Senior Manager at the mill. Seeing Fernandes's professional path firsthand gave her a valuable point of reference. "The situations that still challenge me today are ones she has already faced, and she does so with confidence and courage," Dias says. Fernandes has since become an informal mentor: "I'm always reaching out to her for advice."
Today, Dias works as an Operations Manager at the submerged arc welding mill, where large-diameter welded pipes are produced. What she values most is the variety and the human side of the work: "Every day is different. I like having so many perspectives to reconcile and manage: it's rewarding to work with people, sometimes as a mediator." Her current focus is on growing as a leader, learning to delegate and to be less demanding of herself. "I'm learning that I don't have to solve everything on my own," she reflects.
Looking ahead, she hopes to become a well-rounded leader who develops people while carrying a broad view of the business. "My experience on the shop floor gives me a valuable perspective, and I hope to carry that with me as I continue to grow as a leader," she says. An international assignment is also part of the picture. More than any single role, what drives her is the wish to become, in her words, a more complete professional.
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